European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson issued a warning on Tuesday, the 5th of December, saying there is a “huge risk” of terrorist attacks in the European Union (EU) ahead of Christmas, attributing the heightened threat to the ongoing war in the Middle East, reports Politico.
The risk of terrorist attacks in the EU exists “in view of the war between Israel and Hamas and the polarisation it has caused in our society, as well as the upcoming holiday season,” Johansson told reporters before the start of the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting.
The Commissioner’s warning comes in the wake of recent incidents including the attack at the Eiffel Tower in Paris and a stabbing at a French school, adding that “unfortunately we have seen this before”.
The ongoing war between Israel and Hamas has also increased the risk of radicalised Islamist attacks in Germany,
according to Germany’s domestic intelligence agency.
Since the Palestinian militant group Hamas the 7th of October attack on Israel, which led to an escalation of hostilities, antisemitic crimes have also increased in several European countries, with both the Palestinian Authority and the Gaza Health Ministry reporting that more than 15 000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli retaliation.
Read also: Paris attacker kills one, injures two, raises concerns about Paris Olympics security
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